Nearly 130 heads of state are gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly, with Donald Trump preparing to return to the rostrum as leaders confront wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, the risks posed by artificial intelligence and mounting questions over the organisation’s future.
The meeting comes as the post-Second World War international order faces growing strain. The United Nations is also dealing with attacks from the US president, who has cut American contributions and withdrawn from dozens of UN bodies.
China’s president, Xi Jinping, will not attend in person. Instead, he is due to hold one-to-one talks with Mr Trump in Washington on Thursday, prompting further debate about the UN’s ability to address global crises.
The organisation is also facing uncertainty over its next secretary-general. Antonio Guterres is due to complete his term at the end of 2026, but there is no clear frontrunner to succeed him.
“We would no longer say that the UN is in freefall, but we would say that it’s stuck in an open-ended crisis,” said Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group.
The United States avoided losing its vote in the General Assembly by paying 725 million US dollars (£536 million) towards the regular budget this week. However, it still owes the organisation more than a billion dollars and continues to demand cuts and reforms.
Artificial intelligence and global safeguards
The Security Council could hold high-level meetings on Ukraine, artificial intelligence and the Middle East, including discussions with Arab leaders.
Artificial intelligence is expected to be a significant subject at the assembly after industry leaders called for a co-ordinated slowdown in its development. They warned that the technology could soon improve independently and escape human control.
Mr Guterres has urged countries at the forefront of AI development to establish “common guardrails in order to avoid this race to the bottom that could lead one day to a gigantic disaster at the global level.”
The secretary-general has long supported international oversight of AI, and the UN established an advisory body on the technology in 2023, bringing together technology executives, government officials and academics.
His warnings have placed him at odds with Mr Trump, who has dismissed concerns about AI as a “hoax” and described opposition to its development as a “sick conspiracy”, arguing that China would benefit from doubts being cast on the technology.
Wars in the Middle East and Ukraine
The Middle East will remain at the centre of diplomatic discussions as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to drive global inflation and destabilise the region. Gains by Houthi militants have also threatened shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, with the potential to push energy prices higher.
Peace talks remain stalled while Iran and the US exchange strikes, and Mr Trump threatens a major escalation. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to address the assembly on Wednesday.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is due to speak on Thursday. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, allegations that Israel denies.
The war in Ukraine will also feature prominently, with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov scheduled to address the General Assembly.
Diplomats expect Mr Zelenskiy to seek further support for Ukraine ahead of what is forecast to be another difficult winter.
